Bulkhead for airships



June 10, 1930. P. HELMA ET AL BULKHEAD F'OH AIRSHIPS Filed May 6, 1929 glwuantoz Paufl Helma. I 7 (9: Wolfgang B Klemperer Patented June 10, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAUL HELMA AND WOLFGANG B. KLEMPERER, OF AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO GOODYEAR-ZEPPELIN CORPORATION, OF AKRON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELA- WARE BULKHEAD FOR AIRS I-IIPS Application filed May 6, 1929. Serial No. 360,822.

This invention relates to bulkheads for rigid airships, and it has particular relation to the installation and operating elements of such bulkheads.

One object of the invention is to provide a bulkhead which is adapted to be bulged from its normal plane against the resistance of specially designed resilient devices without subjecting the supporting structure to excessive stresses.

Another object of the invention is to provide a differentially operating mechanism for transmitting forces from a bulkhead to the supporting frame members of an airship hull.

In airships having rigid hull superstructures the bulkheads previously employed did not, to the best advantage, fulfill the requirements with regard to aerostatic stability of the airship and with regard to the stresses transmitted to the frame structure to which the bulkheads were attached. Bulkheads are generally installed substantially in the plane of transverse frames or so-called main :rings which are provided in rigid airships of the preferred type. In the event the bulkhead is installed in "a slack condition, it will bulge amply in response to gas pressurewithout subjecting the supporting frames ormain rings to serious stresses. But such installation involves lack of resistance to the surging of the buoyant gas and consequently the airship is likely to become unstable in pitch. On the other hand, if

the bulkhead is installed in a taut condition, thereby insuring suflicient stability with respect to buoyancy, the main rings are subjected to excessive compressive stresses as soon as the bulkhead receives the bulging forces caused by the lateral gas pressure.

This invention is directed particularly to the solution of the problems involved in these disadvantages. In order to avoid instability of the airship caused by the shiftingof the gas, and to prevent the main ring structure from being subjected to the objectionable compressive stresses, two seemingly conflicting requirements are involved- These problems are solved by employing a bulkhead preferably composed of steel wire netting, which is maintained in a taut condition by resilient connections in the form of rubber cords or springs. Also, means are provided for controlling the initial tension in the bulkhead, and the gas forces acting upon the netting are transmitted either directly into theresilient members or a differentially operating mechanism which serves as a reduction gearing is employed to transmit these forces.

For a better understanding of the inventionreference may now be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, of which;

Figure 1 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of an airship hull having a bulkhead installed therein according to this invention; 1 i v Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevational view, on a larger scale, illustrating the manner in which the bulkhead is installed within the main ring of an airship;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view, on a larger scale, illustrating in detail the connecting elements for installing the bulkhead;

Figure 4: is a fragmentary elevational view, on a larger scale, illustrating in detail the bulkhead connections;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing another construction embodying the invention; and

Figure 6 is a plan view of the construction shown by Figure 5. V

In practicing the invention a bulkhead 10 is installed within a rigidairship hull 11 in which transverse frames or main rings 12 constitute a part of the airship superstructure. Main rings of the type disclosed are composed of inner and outer circumferentially disposed girders 13 and 1 1, which are spaced and braced by means of connectin girders 15.

In Figures 1 and 2, a portion of the bulkhead 10 is shown which is disposed substantially in the plane of the main ring 12 and is provided with bridles 16, the ele ments of which converge and are connected to cables or cords 17 arrangedat spaced locations about the inner circumferential girder 13. Each of the cables 17 is trained about a pulley 18 that is journalled upon a bracket 19 secured rigidly upon the girder 13.

A differentially operating mechanism 22 is connected to each cable 17 by means of a turnbuckle 23 and includes a block 24 having a cable connection 25 to a differential ulley 26. Three integral cylindrical drums 27,28 and 29, having different diameters and constituting the pulley 26, are provided with a common axial support that is journalled in brackets 33, rigidly secured to the girder 13. An intermediate portion of the cable 25 is trained about a pulley34 of the block 24, and the end portions of the cable are connected as indicated at 35 and 36 to the larger and intermediately sized drums. 27 and 28, respectively. It will be observed that the end portions of the cable 25 are Wound about these drums. Another cable 40 has one end portion wound about and connected to the smaller drum 29, as indicated at 41, and its other end has a suitable connection 42 to one end of a resilient element 43, which is preferably composed of rubber cords. Abracket or web. 44 secured to the girders 13 is provided with a connection 45 for the other end of the resilient element. Since a'plura-lity of the mechanisms 22 are spaced circumferentially about the main ring 12, a single bracket 44 provides a connection for two adjacentresilient elements 43. -By employing a construction of this kind the bulging of the bulkhead transmits forces from the cable 17 through the differential mechanism 22 to the resilient elements 43. y 7 I Referring to Figures 5 and 6 anotherform of resilient element 46 is disclosed, wherein a hall and socket joint 47 is secured to the main ring 12. One endof arod 48 isscrewthreaded to a shank 49 of the ball and socket joint, and-isprovided with a, rigid flange 50 that has a plurality of resilient cords 52 secured thereto. The other end of'the rod 48 is threaded into a tubular member 53 Which has a, sleeve 54 slidably mounted thereon. A flange55, similar to the flange 50, is rigidly secured to the sleeve 54 and provides a connection to the bridle '1-6 of the bulkhead 10. This flange also provides a connection for the ends of the cords 52 opposite the ends that are connected to the flange 50. A flexible covering 57 composed of fabric serves'as a protection for the rubber cords 52 and prevents the gas cells from chafing against the metallic portions of the resilient element 46. f I

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the type of bulkhead and the connections therefor provide for materially improved operation of 'airships by controlling the bulging forces caused by the lifting gas and thereby insuring proper stability of such airships.

Although we have illustrated only the preferred forms of the invention, and have described those forms in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the artthat the invention is not so limited, but that various modifications may be made therein without departing fror'n'the spirit of the invention or from the sec e of the appended claims.

Whatwecai'mis:

1. In an airship comprising a rigid main ring having circumferential girders, a bulkhead including. a netting disposed substantially in the plane of the main ring, resilient means installed within the circumferential girders of the main ring, means connecting the last mentioned means to the netting for supporting the latter, and means for directing the supporting forces of the netting into a direction substantially circumferentially of the main ring. 7

2. In an airship comprising a. hull, a bulkhead disposed transversely within the hull, and means including a 'diflerentially operating force transmitting mechanism connecting the bulkhead to the hull.

3. In an airship comprising a rigid hull, a bulkhead disposed transversely within the hull, resilient means connected to the hull, and a differentially operating mechanism connecting the bulkhead to the resilient means for transmitting forces from the bulkhead to the resilient means. r

I 4. In an airship comprising a. rigid hull, a bulkhead disposed transversely within the hull, resilient means connected to the hull, and a differential pulley connecting the resilient means to the bulkhead. i

5. In an airship comprising a rigid main ring having circumferential girders, a bulkhead disposed substantially in the plane of the'main ring, means including a differentially operating force transmitting mechanism connected to the bulkhead and disposed along said girders circumferentially thereof.

' 6. In an airship comprising a rigid main ring having circumferential girders, a bulkhead disposedv sub'stantially in the plane of the main ring, resilient .means, differentially operating force transmitting mechanisms connected to the bulkhead "and to the resilicut means, said means and mechanism being ring having circumferential girders, a bulk head disposed substantially in the plane of the main ring, pulleysconnectedto the lg-irders, an'd cables having bridles thereon trained overthe pulleys and along the gird ers, said bridles being connected to the bulkhead, differential pulleys attached to the irders and to the cables,:and resilient means no connected to the girders and to the inlleys for resisting movement of the bul head, said pulleys being anchored to the girders.

In Witness whereof, We have hereunto signed our names.

PAUL HELMA. WOLFGANG B. KLEMPERER. 

